Army Pay 2026/27 — Rank by Rank, After Tax
British Army pay after the 3.6% 2026 award, from private to brigadier — including the package extras the salary doesn't show.
The Armed Forces received a 3.6% pay award in 2026, taking new soldier starting pay to about £27,282 and junior officer starting pay to £35,925. Published rates include the X-Factor addition (14.5%) that compensates for the demands of service life. On top of salary, subsidised accommodation and food, free healthcare and the non-contributory AFPS 15 pension make the real package worth substantially more than the headline number.
| Rank | Salary range, 2026/27 | Take-home a year at the bottom of the range | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private (OR-2) | £27,282 to £35,588 | £23,163 | £1,930 |
| Lance corporal (OR-3) | £35,310 to £41,164 | £28,943 | £2,412 |
| Corporal (OR-4) | £40,989 to £48,497 | £33,032 | £2,753 |
| Sergeant (OR-6) | £46,022 to £56,611 | £36,655 | £3,055 |
| Staff or colour sergeant (OR-7) | £51,615 to £65,249 | £40,494 | £3,375 |
| Warrant officer class 2 (OR-8) | £56,024 to £65,249 | £43,051 | £3,588 |
| Warrant officer class 1 (OR-9) | £64,704 to £68,982 | £48,086 | £4,007 |
| Officer cadet (OF-1, entry point) | £35,925 | £29,386 | £2,449 |
| Second lieutenant and lieutenant (OF-1) | £42,948 to £47,351 | £34,442 | £2,870 |
| Captain (OF-2) | £54,716 to £64,852 | £42,293 | £3,524 |
| Major (OF-3) | £68,624 to £90,371 | £50,359 | £4,197 |
| Lieutenant colonel (OF-4) | £95,850 to £110,806 | £66,150 | £5,513 |
| Colonel (OF-5) | £115,881 to £127,272 | £74,592 | £6,216 |
| Brigadier (OF-6) | £137,874 to £143,406 | £84,860 | £7,072 |
Take-home figures use 2026/27 England/Wales/NI rates (Income Tax + employee NI only, standard tax code, no pension or student loan). Model your exact situation with our Take-Home Pay Calculator.
Source: Armed Forces' Pay Review Body 55th Report 2026, Appendix 1 (rates for 1 April 2026, which the government accepted). Salaries are annual, rounded to the nearest pound and include X-Factor. For other ranks the low figure is the bottom pay point on Trade Supplement 1 and the high figure is the top pay point on Trade Supplement 4.
How Army Pay Works: Pay Points and Trade Supplements
Soldiers are paid on pay points that run from OR2-01 up to OR9-06. Each trade is placed on one of four trade supplements, so two soldiers of the same rank can earn different amounts. As an example, here is a corporal on their first pay point (OR4-01) in 2026/27:
| Trade supplement | Salary at OR4-01 |
|---|---|
| Trade Supplement 1 | £40,989 |
| Trade Supplement 2 | £42,149 |
| Trade Supplement 3 | £43,276 |
| Trade Supplement 4 | £44,322 |
Officers are on a single scale with no trade supplements. Pay rises with each pay point as you gain service in the rank, and the table above shows the first and last point for each rank.
The hidden value of the package
The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS 15) is non-contributory — the taxpayer funds it entirely. Subsidised single or family accommodation reduces housing costs compared with renting privately. Deployment allowances and operational bonuses are additional, and some operational payments carry favourable tax treatment.
Check your own numbers
Frequently asked questions
New soldier starting pay is around £27,282 after the 3.6% award — roughly £1,930/month take-home, with accommodation and food heavily subsidised on top.
No — AFPS 15 is non-contributory. Members pay no contributions because the scheme is funded by the employer.
A 14.5% addition built into published military salaries compensating for the unique demands of service life — long hours, postings and operational commitment.